So, I've had another blog inspiration, and it came from watching yet another couple who married young go through a divorce. To be sure, divorce doesn't solve marrital problems, and if you have kids together, it actually makes more, but it's an epidemic around the Baptist movement these days, and I have some thoughts to its reason.
Marriage is pushed on everyone who turns 18, whether consciously or not in the Baptist world. I've talked to 21-year-old girls who feel like they're old maids, and if a guy hits 30, and isn't married, for whatever reason, he turns into this predator, throwing himself at the mercy of every single girl in his path. It's really pathetic. and if we were going by the culture of the Old Testament, I'd say these dear people have a point. Proverbs 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. This was written by Solemon, who, if we were to be quite honest, had several wives in his youth! In fact, he had so many, there was probably a reservation desk so they could schedule time with him! Solemon was wise on so many levels, but I don't think he's the one to take marrital advice from, especially where culture has changed so much!
Now, to be sure, I love to see couples who have been married for 60 years, still holding hands, and acting like young people who are still dating and crazy about each other, but times were different 60 years ago! Boys knew the value of hard work at a young age, and mothers domesticated their daughters as soon as they were old enough to stand on a chair and help cook! Can I say, nothing's wrong with that paradigm! Our world would be so much better if that was still normal, but sadly, it isn't! Hollywood has so permeated our society, and redefined what the relationship between a man and a woman should be, and girls especially, being the dreamier of the genders, get to thinking they're gonna have their Cinderella story, and meet Prince Charming, and what was shiny and glittering at first ends in divorce and custody battles. Young men don't know the value of hard work! Today, if they want to play sports, most of them just fire up their videogame console, and play the game with a controler. They live in a fantasy world of their own design, and really have no clue how to support a wife and family. Young men, if you can't support her, don't pursue her!
So, now that I've gone off on this tangent, there sure has to be a good way to find a wife. Proverbs 18:22 ¶Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. Solemon and his marriage advice again. I'm sure he wished by that point that he'd just done it God's way. Even the whole virtuous woman thing in Proverbs 31 starts with a question! Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. Virtuous women are out there, but I think even Solemon, with his 1000 wives and concubines hadn't found what he was looking for!
God's view of marriage in Genesis was one man, one woman. Man's views have changed, but God's views never did! If He'd wanted Adam to have a few wives, I'm sure He could've taken a few more ribs and made some more, but God wasn't about polygamy! Even in 1 Timothy 3, He had that reiterated when He said a bishop was to be the husband of one wife. If you were taught that that passage meant anything else, you were taught wrong, and need to search your Bible for added words to make what you were taught make sense. Stop looking, they're not there! Also, it's not for Christians to get involved in the gay marriage debate, as we don't rely on the state or country to define what marriage is anyway! Two men can have a wedding and go through a marriage exercise, and the state can give them all the benefits they want, but in a holy God's eyes, guess what? They ain't married, but I digress!
In Scripture, there were causes why a divorce could be granted, but so many Christians paint a picture of those reasons with such a broad brush that if we were to take the Bible literally, we'd find many of today's divorces to be without Biblical justification. If you're pursuing a mate, note that divorce is not the way out of a marriage that's just not working for you. If you have problems, you're supposed to do whatever's in you to work them out. That's just a side note, and there are plenty of great articles written about the subject of divorce. In otherwords, you need to wait on The Lord for your mate so you can get it right the first time, and you won't have to live with regrets. Trusting, and waiting on God has its benefits. As somebody who still is waiting on Him, I have far fewer regrets than some of my friends who felt they were getting old, and rushed headlong into a marriage that was destined for ruin. Have I felt lonely, and like a second class citizen at times? Of course I have, and I've jumped into dating relationships I shouldn't have because I acted on my own impulse rather than trusting God's plan. I have a few regrets, and none of them are God's fault, and it's only by His grace I didn't marry the wrong girl. Again, I'd rather be single than have a bad marriage. If you're reading this, and you have a few years on you and aren't married yet, don't sweat it! Just keep trusting God to direct your paths rather than letting some well-meaning matchmaker lead you into a ditch.
Here's a passage not many people consider! 1 Corinthians 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.Paul was writing this as an unmarried man. Basically, he advised people, if they could, to stay single for the glory of God! 1 Corinthians 7:32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
In otherwords, people who are single should be serving The Lord, because they can devote their attention to Him. I firmly believe that if a man or woman is devoting his or her attention to the things of God, if God has a mate planned, then He will reveal it in His time. The fact is, however, too many people ignore all this, and just claim verse 9 to justify themselves getting married. Note that if you're burning in your lust that badly, you've obviously done something to really stir it up to that point, and without proper care, your relationship is doomed from the outset.
The conclusion of the matter is this! It's high time people stopped making young people feel incomplete if they're not married by 25. We need fewer attempts at matchmaking, and instead of being busybodies, some of the older folks need to encourage the younger ones to wait on God. Along with that responsibility comes this; the older folks need to set an example of what a good marriage should be! There are people who I'm friends with whose marriage is a Godly example of what I hope to have should that time ever come. My pastor and his wife have been married for 38 years, and they're still crazy about each other. In fact, she's been known to say that they're still on their honeymoon! I think that's precious, and there's something quite sacred about it! They've raised their kids for God, and they're all in church, serving in some capacity. To the younger, single crowd that may be reading this, I say, don't date around! Be friends with everyone, and if God wants to bring you a mate, He will, but you certainly don't have to force it. Don't be ashamed to be single. Enjoy serving God with your whole heart while you can! Please note that these are purely my observations, but as somebody who is a bit older, and still single, I've had time to observe, and my observations sadden me.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Traditions and the Bible
I realize I've neglected this blog for over a year, and I'm truly sorry. A few things have changed in my world though, and between my travel schedule, and being back home most Sundays to help with the music at our church, it's been an exhausting year, both physically, and Spiritually.
Today, I'd like to talk a little about traditions. These are mentioned a few times during Scripture, both in a good way, and a bad way. Let's take a look at both good and bad!
2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
We see here that Paul makes mention of good traditions which should be followed, both as a church, and as individuals, but these traditions are qualified by 1: word, and 2: epistle. If you are a student of the Bible, then you doubtless know that where the word of God is concerned, all that was available to the early church was the Old Testament. God was showing men like Peter, Paul, John, and the other new testament writers revelation for the church age, so as they got it from God, and wrote it down and God breathed upon it, it became God's word. Thus, there were traditions which they wrote about which should be followed.
I'm sure as the early church took shape, there were several great traditions which were instituted, as there are even today! For instance, the tradition of an altar call, where members are invited to come and do business with God directly after the preaching is a recent tradition which can be very helpful in a church service. Other traditions, like church building design, order of service, and things such as that, however, have changed as time has gone by, and while there is nothing wrong with these traditions, a certain amount of care is necessary so churches or pastors don't get dogmatic with them.
Let's examine the other place where tradition is mentioned in Scripture. Matthew 15
1 ¶Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Matthew 15:1-4.
We see here the pharisees, who were quite consumed with their traditions. It wasn't just about being keepers of the Old Testament law; they read into it, and infused their own customs and traditions with it. They lived by the letter so much that they read between the lines, and inserted letters that weren't even there, just to make themselves look holy. In this case, they were angry at Jesus because the disciples didn't wash their hands before they ate. Don't get me wrong though. I think washing your hands before you eat is a marvelous and sanitary tradition. I prefer to wash my hands before I eat, especially if I've just been interacting with a bunch of people, shaking hands, playing keyboards that 100 others have played before me, and touching surfaces that kids have probably sneezed on with their nasty colds, but there are definitely some people who don't care about that stuff, and don't wash their hands before they eat, such was the case with the disciples, obviously. The pharisees esteemed washing their hands before dinner to be just as important as "Thou shalt not kill", and trying to ensnare Jesus, they called Him out on it. Notice what He said in verses 3 and 4, clearly drawing a line between tradition and commandment. Again, there are some traditions that are good, but they're just traditions! Don't break fellowship with people who don't participate in your tradition, and don't get mad at them for holding traditions that you don't participate in.
Look at another interesting verse. Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Here, Paul is dealing with a church in a place that is embracing the latest and greatest philosophies, and no doubt some had crept into the church. Paul's concern here is that the people will be spoiled by those traditions, and espouse them instead of what Christ wanted. We see much of that in today's emergent churches, where worldly traditions are being brought into the church of God. Things like leadership conferences, retreats, and the like started in the corporate world, and trickled down to the church level. Am I saying it's all wrong? Absolutely not! I do believe, however, that the church should exercise caution before embracing whatever the next big fad is.
There's something else to be said about tradition though. Tradition can make pharisees out of people. I remember taking a young man with me to some meetings, and the first one was at a church who applauded after somebody sang or preached. This young man became so angry that he got up and walked out of the service, and refused to get a blessing because that church did something different than what our church does. Our church doesn't applaud after singing and preaching, so he figured they were wrong because they did. In fact, he thought it was so wrong that he wanted to break fellowship with me because I didn't publicly denounce the church. The lesson here is this. Clearly, the Bible is silent in its dealings with how to respond after a person sings. In fact, we never read of guest soloists or quartets being brought in to the early church, but before you go banning such things, remember the Bible never said you couldn't have them, either! In our church, we say "amen" if a song has blessed us, but in many churches, people clap. Is there a difference? Maybe there is, but I believe it's more of a perceived difference than anything else. The argument is that clapping is what you do at a concert, or a theater, so we should do something different in church. However, on the other side of the coin, both are expressions of appreciation, and there are plenty of references in Scripture to hand clapping. So, who's right, and who's wrong? Neither! It's just simple tradition, and whether a church claps, says "amen", or just sits there and looks bored, I can appreciate, well, at least the first two.
I heard of a pastor who wrote a book about why churches shouldn't install projection screens, and I'm sure there are pastors who read his book, and immediately tore down their screens, because traditionally, the church never had screens before, and this other guy must be right! May I remind you that traditionally, the church didn't have air conditioning, sound systems, a nursery for the kids, Sunday School, or indoor plumming? These are very recent inventions, and I bless the day most of them were invented, and installed in churches! In fact, I don't know anyone who complains about any of them, except maybe a Sunday School that starts too early on a Sunday morning! Lol!
Did you know that the piano is a recent invention? Before the piano, churches used large pipe organs, but Martin Luther was dogmatically against them, refering to them as "Satan's evil chest of pipes." Is a piano or an organ wrong to have in a church? I know some folks who say they are, and prefer to sing acapella, and that's fine for them. However, the Bible makes mention of all kinds of instruments being used to praise the Lord, even *gasp* percussion instruments! Read Exodus 15, and you will find that the first instrument used in high praise to the Lord which was mentioned in Scripture was a timbrel, which was a kind of hand drum kin to a tambourine! Now, I've been to some pretty conservative Baptist churches who wouldn't appreciate me bringing a tambourine and playing it in their midst, but fear not, I don't even own one! Many churches up north, however, don't prefer a bass guitar. I guess they can't disassociate it with rock 'n roll music, but mind you, Jerry Lee Lewis was just as obnoxious on a piano as many rock bass players are. However, if I go to a church like that, I leave my Gibson bass at home, or in the car. I can respect their preferences. To I think the preference is ridiculous and unfounded? Of course I do, but they probably think my preference of having a bass guitar is ridiculous, and too close to the line! While I politely disagree, I can respect their views on the issue, as long as they can respect mine, and won't break fellowship with me over it.
Here's the bottom line! Traditions, by and large, since the Biblical cannon has been closed, are simply preferences which have been carried on for years. Some are good, but the danger is wen, like the pharisees, you make your traditions kin to Scripture. If you go to a church that observes traditions that you don't necessarily agree with, but aren't compromising where the Bible is concerned, the best thing to do is just to respect them, and don't start a fight about them. In otherwords, if a church claps after somebody sings, or displays their songs on a screen, don't discount the church just because your old church did things different. Likewise, if you grew up in a church that claps, and you go to another one that doesn't, don't cause a scene just because they do things differently. It is unfortunate that more of our basis of breaking fellowship as Bible believing Christians are traditions, rather than over people who bring in false doctrine.
Today, I'd like to talk a little about traditions. These are mentioned a few times during Scripture, both in a good way, and a bad way. Let's take a look at both good and bad!
2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
We see here that Paul makes mention of good traditions which should be followed, both as a church, and as individuals, but these traditions are qualified by 1: word, and 2: epistle. If you are a student of the Bible, then you doubtless know that where the word of God is concerned, all that was available to the early church was the Old Testament. God was showing men like Peter, Paul, John, and the other new testament writers revelation for the church age, so as they got it from God, and wrote it down and God breathed upon it, it became God's word. Thus, there were traditions which they wrote about which should be followed.
I'm sure as the early church took shape, there were several great traditions which were instituted, as there are even today! For instance, the tradition of an altar call, where members are invited to come and do business with God directly after the preaching is a recent tradition which can be very helpful in a church service. Other traditions, like church building design, order of service, and things such as that, however, have changed as time has gone by, and while there is nothing wrong with these traditions, a certain amount of care is necessary so churches or pastors don't get dogmatic with them.
Let's examine the other place where tradition is mentioned in Scripture. Matthew 15
1 ¶Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Matthew 15:1-4.
We see here the pharisees, who were quite consumed with their traditions. It wasn't just about being keepers of the Old Testament law; they read into it, and infused their own customs and traditions with it. They lived by the letter so much that they read between the lines, and inserted letters that weren't even there, just to make themselves look holy. In this case, they were angry at Jesus because the disciples didn't wash their hands before they ate. Don't get me wrong though. I think washing your hands before you eat is a marvelous and sanitary tradition. I prefer to wash my hands before I eat, especially if I've just been interacting with a bunch of people, shaking hands, playing keyboards that 100 others have played before me, and touching surfaces that kids have probably sneezed on with their nasty colds, but there are definitely some people who don't care about that stuff, and don't wash their hands before they eat, such was the case with the disciples, obviously. The pharisees esteemed washing their hands before dinner to be just as important as "Thou shalt not kill", and trying to ensnare Jesus, they called Him out on it. Notice what He said in verses 3 and 4, clearly drawing a line between tradition and commandment. Again, there are some traditions that are good, but they're just traditions! Don't break fellowship with people who don't participate in your tradition, and don't get mad at them for holding traditions that you don't participate in.
Look at another interesting verse. Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Here, Paul is dealing with a church in a place that is embracing the latest and greatest philosophies, and no doubt some had crept into the church. Paul's concern here is that the people will be spoiled by those traditions, and espouse them instead of what Christ wanted. We see much of that in today's emergent churches, where worldly traditions are being brought into the church of God. Things like leadership conferences, retreats, and the like started in the corporate world, and trickled down to the church level. Am I saying it's all wrong? Absolutely not! I do believe, however, that the church should exercise caution before embracing whatever the next big fad is.
There's something else to be said about tradition though. Tradition can make pharisees out of people. I remember taking a young man with me to some meetings, and the first one was at a church who applauded after somebody sang or preached. This young man became so angry that he got up and walked out of the service, and refused to get a blessing because that church did something different than what our church does. Our church doesn't applaud after singing and preaching, so he figured they were wrong because they did. In fact, he thought it was so wrong that he wanted to break fellowship with me because I didn't publicly denounce the church. The lesson here is this. Clearly, the Bible is silent in its dealings with how to respond after a person sings. In fact, we never read of guest soloists or quartets being brought in to the early church, but before you go banning such things, remember the Bible never said you couldn't have them, either! In our church, we say "amen" if a song has blessed us, but in many churches, people clap. Is there a difference? Maybe there is, but I believe it's more of a perceived difference than anything else. The argument is that clapping is what you do at a concert, or a theater, so we should do something different in church. However, on the other side of the coin, both are expressions of appreciation, and there are plenty of references in Scripture to hand clapping. So, who's right, and who's wrong? Neither! It's just simple tradition, and whether a church claps, says "amen", or just sits there and looks bored, I can appreciate, well, at least the first two.
I heard of a pastor who wrote a book about why churches shouldn't install projection screens, and I'm sure there are pastors who read his book, and immediately tore down their screens, because traditionally, the church never had screens before, and this other guy must be right! May I remind you that traditionally, the church didn't have air conditioning, sound systems, a nursery for the kids, Sunday School, or indoor plumming? These are very recent inventions, and I bless the day most of them were invented, and installed in churches! In fact, I don't know anyone who complains about any of them, except maybe a Sunday School that starts too early on a Sunday morning! Lol!
Did you know that the piano is a recent invention? Before the piano, churches used large pipe organs, but Martin Luther was dogmatically against them, refering to them as "Satan's evil chest of pipes." Is a piano or an organ wrong to have in a church? I know some folks who say they are, and prefer to sing acapella, and that's fine for them. However, the Bible makes mention of all kinds of instruments being used to praise the Lord, even *gasp* percussion instruments! Read Exodus 15, and you will find that the first instrument used in high praise to the Lord which was mentioned in Scripture was a timbrel, which was a kind of hand drum kin to a tambourine! Now, I've been to some pretty conservative Baptist churches who wouldn't appreciate me bringing a tambourine and playing it in their midst, but fear not, I don't even own one! Many churches up north, however, don't prefer a bass guitar. I guess they can't disassociate it with rock 'n roll music, but mind you, Jerry Lee Lewis was just as obnoxious on a piano as many rock bass players are. However, if I go to a church like that, I leave my Gibson bass at home, or in the car. I can respect their preferences. To I think the preference is ridiculous and unfounded? Of course I do, but they probably think my preference of having a bass guitar is ridiculous, and too close to the line! While I politely disagree, I can respect their views on the issue, as long as they can respect mine, and won't break fellowship with me over it.
Here's the bottom line! Traditions, by and large, since the Biblical cannon has been closed, are simply preferences which have been carried on for years. Some are good, but the danger is wen, like the pharisees, you make your traditions kin to Scripture. If you go to a church that observes traditions that you don't necessarily agree with, but aren't compromising where the Bible is concerned, the best thing to do is just to respect them, and don't start a fight about them. In otherwords, if a church claps after somebody sings, or displays their songs on a screen, don't discount the church just because your old church did things different. Likewise, if you grew up in a church that claps, and you go to another one that doesn't, don't cause a scene just because they do things differently. It is unfortunate that more of our basis of breaking fellowship as Bible believing Christians are traditions, rather than over people who bring in false doctrine.
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